Car-coupling



(No Model.) 1 zsheets-sheec 1. E. N. PITTS 8v H. D. COWDBN.

UAR GOPLING. N0. 508,527. Patented NOV. 1 4, 1893.

I 2 Sheets-Sheet 2, GWDEN. G

(No Model.)

E. N. tPITIS & H.

. GAR comD LIN ,Y

lg( Patented No Y IDCIJFS 15. 01, 6 @s Y EM NP UNITED STATES PATENT Erica.

ELI N. PITTS AND HENDERSON D. COWDEN, OF ONEONTO, ALABAMA.

CAR-oouPLINc.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N o. 508,527, dated November 14, 1893.

Application iiled July 12., 1893.` Serial No. 480.277. (No model.)

following is a specification.

The invention relates to improvements in f car couplings. .v

The object of the present invention is to lmprove the construction of lcar couplings, and to provide `one which will be simple and linexpensive in construction, and which will automatically couple and be capable of being quickly uncoupled, and which will notnecessitate persons going between cars. A further object of the invention is to permit the draw-head to have a limited lateral swing in rounding curves, and to cushion the same in ,such movements.

The invention consists in the'constructionand novel'combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated' in the accompanyingdrawings, and-pointed out in the claims hereto appended.

In the drawings-Figure 1 is a perspective View of a car coupling constructed in accord Fig. 2 is a trans' ance with this invention. verse sectional view.' Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view. Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectional view. Fig. 5 is a detail perspective View of one of the jaws.

Like numerals of reference indicate correspending ings.

l designates a 'draw-head, provided within'v its link-opening or cavity with a'pair of in` clined shoulders 2, varranged at the sides and bottom of the link cavity7 and adapted to hold upwardly and laterally swingingjaws 3 in engagement with an arrow-headed link 4. The jaws are pivoted, at their front 'ends in recesses 5 at the inner faces of vertical shoulders 6, by horizontal bolts 7, and are connected 1 intermediate of their ends by link-bars 8, within' the county of Blount and State of Alabama, have invented a new and useful Car-Coupling, of which the i becoming disengaged from the jaws. cess is contracted'by the inclined shoulders parts in' all the figures of Iche draw-1 lifting-frm@ 9 is raised the link-bars will be drawn upward and outward, carrying with them the jaws which will be spread or open to permit the link to be withdrawn from the draw-head. The lower ends of the link-bars are provided with eyes 8a, which are arranged on longitudinal arms 3a', of the jaws; and the arms 3 are located above the jaws and projecting forward from upward extensions 3b. The lifting frame is rectangular and consists of a top cross-piece 11, which is provided with a coupling piece l2, and depending sidebars 13, which are arranged in ways formed by vertical exterior ribs 14, on the sides of the draw-head. 'f The vertical shoulders 6 are formed inte# gral with the sides of the draw-head, and the strain is communicated to them by the jaws 3,`which slightly diverge toward the front of the draw-head when they are in a horizontal position. The link-bars 8 have their lower ends loosely arranged on the arms 3a of the jaws; and their upper ends are secured to the top cross-bar of the lifting-frame in openings by means of pins or bolts.

The top wall of the draw-head above the 2,-which are extended rearward to the back of the recess. y

The link ltapers from its center to its heads,

jwhich are rounded and beveled at their lower faces at 17 to enable it to readily enter a drawhead; and its central widened portion 18 is for limiting the lateral swing of the link" to prevent it from being turned aside and missing the opening of a draw-head.

The coupling piece 12 of the lifting frame .is connected by a chain 19 or a rope or other equivalent means, with the outer endA of a lever 20, which is fnlcrumed on a bracket 21 at the top of a car 22, and has operating chains 23 or equivalent connections attached to its inner end and depending from it to the sides of the car in order to be within easy reach from the ground. The lower ends ofthe operating chains are arranged in eyes 24, which are located at the sides of the car, and which IOO hold the operating chains in convenient position to be'readily grasped. By this construction the operation of uncoupling may be readily performed from the top and sides of a car without necessitating going between cars.

In order to ena-ble the draw-head to have a limited lateral swing for rounding curves and to cushion the same in such movements, it is arranged in a horizontal guide-frame 25,which is secured to and depends from the car. The horizontal guide frame is substantially rectangular and consists of upper and lower bars, the lower one having its ends curved upward and outward to form the ends of the frame, and it is secured to the lower face ofthe upper bar. The draw-head is arranged between sliding plates 26, and is cushioned by oppositely disposed spiral springs 27, which are disposed on pins 28 connected to the sliding plates and arranged'in perforations of stationary supporting plates 29. The sliding plates 26 are provided at the top and bottom with ylugs 30, which are arranged in slots 3l of the upper and lower bars of the frame, whereby the plates are guided in their movements.

It will be seen that the car coupling is simple and comparatively inexpensive in construction, that it is positive and reliable in its operation, that it is capable of automatic coupling, and that it may be readily unconpled from the tops and sides of cars without going between them.

Changes in the form, proportion and the minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the principle or sacrificing any of the advantages of this invention.

What we claim is- 1. The combination of a draw-head provided within its link cavity with inclined side shoulders arranged at the bottom of the cavity, and upwardly and laterallyswinging jaws mounted in the draw-head and pivoted at their front ends and having their rear ends arranged contiguous to and supported by the inclined side shoulders, substantially as der scribed.

2. In a car-coupling, the combination of a draw-head provided on its interior with opposite inclined side shoulders, upwardly and laterally swinging jaws adapted to engage an arrow-headed link and pivoted at their front ends to the sides of the draw-head, and an exterior lifting-frame mounted on the drawhead and connected with the jaws, substantially as described.

3. In a car-coupling, the combination of a draw-head provided on its interior with opposite inclined side shoulders and having on its exterior vertical ribs forming ways, upwardly and laterally swinging jaws pivoted at their front ends to the sides of the draw-head, an exteriorlifting-framecomprisingacross-picce arrangedl on top ot' the draw-head and de pending sides arranged in said ways, and linkbars pivoted at their. upper ends to the liftingframe and extending through the top of the draw-head and connected to the jaws, substantially as described.

4. In a car coupling, the combination of a draw-head provided on the inner faces of its sides with vertical shoulders having recesses at their rear edges, inclined side shoulders arranged within thedraw-head at the bottom thereof, upwardly and outwardly swinging jaws arranged within the draw-head and having their front ends pivoted in said recesses, and an arrow-headed link adapt-ed to engage the jaws, substantially as described.

5. In a car coupling, the combination of a draw-head provided with inclined side shoulders 2 and having its top rearwardly inclined at l5, and provided in rear of the inclined portion 15 with a low recess adapted to confine a link and prevent the same 'moving upward, and upwardly and laterally swinging jaws pivotally mounted in the drawhead, substantially as described.

6. In a car coupling, the combination of a draw-head, the upwardly and laterally swinging jaws pivotally mounted in the draw-head and provided at their tops with longitudinally disposed arms,a lifting frame mounted on the exterior of the draw-head, and link bars passing through the top of the drawhead and connected to the lifting frame and provided at their lower ends with eyes arranged on said arms, substantially as described.

7. The combination of a car, a draw-head mounted thereon, upwardly and laterally pivotally mounted swinging jaws arranged in the drawheads, a lifting frame exteriorly mounted on the draw-head and connected l with said jaws, a bracket mounted on the car at the top thereof, and a lever fulcrnmedon the bracket and having its outer end connected with the lifting frame and provided with means attached to its inner end for operating it from the sidesof a car, substantially as described.

8. The combination in a car coupling, of a draw-head, a horizontally disposed guideframe receiving the draw-head and provided at its top and bottom with longitudinal slots, movable plates arranged on opposite sides of the draw-head and bearing against the same and provided with upper and lower lugs arranged in the longitudinal slots of the frame, pins secured to the movable plates and mounted in the frame, and spiral springs d-isposed on the pins and engaging the plates for cushioning the draw-heads, substantially as described.

In testimony that we claim the foregoing as our own we have hereto affixed our signatures in the presence of two witnesses.

ELI N. PITTS. HENDERSON D. COWDEN.

Witnesses:

J. E. BYNUM, R. L. GREEN.

IIO 

